Investigators searching for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie, have discovered blood and signs of forced entry inside her Arizona home, a chilling development that has transformed what began as a missing person case into a full-blown criminal investigation with the FBI now involved.
The discovery, first reported by the Los Angeles Times citing law enforcement sources, adds a disturbing layer to the disappearance that has gripped the nation since Sunday. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed that DNA samples have been collected from the crime scene, though results are expected to take several days.
“We took some samples that we hope will have enough profile of a DNA profile that gives us some identification as to what we’re looking at,” Nanos told NBC News on Monday night.
A Race Against Time
Nancy Guthrie was last seen Saturday evening around 9:45 p.m. when family members dropped her off at her home in the Catalina Foothills area near Tucson after dinner together. Savannah’s older sister was the last person to see her alive and well.
The alarm was raised Sunday morning when Nancy failed to appear at her regular church service. A concerned friend called the family, who then discovered she was missing and contacted authorities around noon.
What investigators found at the home prompted an immediate shift in their approach.
“We saw some things at the home that were concerning to us,” Nanos said at a press conference Monday. “We believe now after we’ve processed that crime scene that we do in fact have a crime scene, that we do in fact have a crime.”
The sheriff has been direct about what he believes happened: Nancy Guthrie did not leave voluntarily.
“I believe she was abducted, yes,” Nanos told CBS News. “She didn’t walk from there. She didn’t go willingly.”
Critical Medical Concerns
Adding urgency to the investigation is Nancy Guthrie’s fragile health. The 84-year-old has significant mobility limitations and requires daily medication that authorities say could be fatal to go without.
“She couldn’t walk 50 yards by herself,” Nanos said, explaining why investigators quickly ruled out the possibility that she wandered away on her own. “This is not dementia-related. She is as sharp as a tack. The family wants everybody to know this isn’t somebody who just wandered off.”
“Today” co-host Jenna Bush Hager emphasized Monday that Nancy needs her medication to survive, making time a critical factor.
“This is a race against time,” Nanos acknowledged. “I hope that window hasn’t closed.”
What Investigators Know
Several pieces of evidence paint a troubling picture. Nancy’s car, cellphone, and wallet were all found at the home, indicating she left with nothing. The blood and signs of forced entry suggest a violent encounter, though authorities have not confirmed whether the blood belongs to Nancy or a potential assailant.
Investigators are focusing on a narrow window between 1:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. Sunday morning when the abduction is believed to have occurred. The sheriff’s department is urging neighbors to review any security camera footage from that timeframe.
“Keep looking. You never know what you’ll see,” Nanos said. “Maybe it’s just a pair of headlights. But if you see something that just doesn’t seem right in that neighborhood, please let us know.”
FBI agents from across Arizona are now “fully engaged” in the investigation, a law enforcement source told CNN. Federal resources are being used to analyze cell phone tower data near the Guthrie home, a specialty the FBI often provides in missing persons and abduction cases. Tech companies including Google and Apple have also offered assistance, according to the sheriff.
Was She Targeted?
The question of motive remains unanswered. When asked whether Nancy might have been targeted because of her famous daughter, Nanos said there’s no initial indication of that, but investigators aren’t ruling anything out.
“We’re not going to dismiss any angles for sure,” Nanos said. His department has been in contact with Savannah Guthrie’s security team and is unaware of any threats against the “Today” anchor.
Asked specifically about a kidnapping-for-ransom scenario, Nanos told CNN that is not the direction investigators are currently pursuing, though “we’ll never rule it out.” He also said this does not appear to be a home invasion or robbery gone wrong, but again declined to eliminate that possibility entirely.
Importantly, Nanos said he does not believe there is an active threat to the public.
A Family’s Plea
Savannah Guthrie, who has traveled to Tucson to be with her family, released a statement Monday asking for the public’s help.
“On behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers and messages of support,” she said in a statement read by co-anchor Craig Melvin on the “Today” show. “Right now, our focus remains on the safe return of our dear mom.”
On Instagram Monday night, the 54-year-old anchor posted an emotional plea. “Please pray,” she wrote alongside a message asking followers to join her family in hope. “Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant. Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment. We need you. Bring her home.”
Nancy Guthrie has lived in Arizona for more than 50 years. She raised Savannah and her two siblings, Annie and Camron, largely as a single mother after Savannah’s father Charles died of a heart attack in 1988 when Savannah was just 16.
The “Today” anchor has spoken frequently about her close relationship with her mother, calling her “an amazing and noble woman” who “inspires everyone who knows her.”
How To Help
Nancy Guthrie is described as 5 feet, 5 inches tall, weighing approximately 150 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900. The department has also set up a tip line for submitting videos or images that may assist the investigation.
88-Crime, a nonprofit group that works with southern Arizona law enforcement, is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to an arrest in the case.
“I need this community to step up and start giving some calls,” Nanos said. “Let us know if you’ve seen something.”